An anguished father whose child was hit in the head by a stray bullet in a school playground in Enniskillen last month today pleaded with the gunman to own up and end the family's torment.
Gerald Somers left his son's hospital bedside for the first time to issue an appeal over the rifle shot that wounded five-year-old Darragh.
Despite forensic and ballistic tests on more than 50 seized guns, detectives refuse to disclose if they know who fired the bullet.
But Mr Somers insisted an admission could ease the shooter's guilt, and help him and his wife Jeannine to cope.
He said: "The person that did this, it was a terrible accident. "I have no doubt in my mind they are feeling the strain of it, they have an awful weight to bear.
"If he could even find it in himself to come forward it would be so much better, in order for Jeannine and me to move forward with Darragh and put closure to this."
Darragh has made an astonishing recovery since he was injured while playing at St Patrick's Primary School on April 22nd.
After days spent critically ill on a life-support machine, his condition is now ill but stable. It is thought he was hit by a stray bullet from a .22 rifle fired by someone shooting vermin nearby.
Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Kyle, who is heading the investigation, admitted someone may be shielding the gunman. He was certain whoever fired the shot knew what had happened, but stressed police were still treating it as a sporting accident.
Mr Kyle said it could harm the inquiry if police revealed whether they knew who was responsible. He added: "It's not too late for that person to come forward.